2025 wasn’t really my year in books… like personally.
I still read 41 books, which is honestly great, and we should never compare ourselves to other people, whether they read 5 books or 150. We’re all doing our best. And truly, even one book a year is better than nothing.
That being said… I’m one of those people (I know 🙄) who holds themselves accountable, so yes, I’m slightly side-eyeing myself because I didn’t hit my goal of 48 books this year. But hey… life happened. Rude, but expected.
So anyway, in this post I’m doing my End of the Year Book Tag… except it’s like a month into 2026. Because, you know… lazy me lol.
BUT at least I’m doing it, okay?? Progress is progress 💀✨
I mostly read romance (shocking, I know), so if you’re like me, feel free to answer these questions too 🫶💗
📊 1) Quick 2025 Reading Stats
Total books read in 2025: 41
Favorite genre this year: Romance / Romantasy
Most-read tropes: I think it’s forced proximity
Average rating: 3.3
Biggest reading mood this year: cozy / emotional / spicy / dark / fluffy
💖 2) Best Romance Reads of 2025
🌸 1. Your #1 Romance Book of the Year
Title: Caught up by Liz Tomforde
Do I need to talk about it again? Probably. But like… you get it, right?
Because THIS BOOK came into my life and said: “your romance standards are now permanently higher.”
🔥 2. Most Addictive “One More Chapter” Romance
Title: Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry
I read most of it on the plane and I literally couldn’t put it down for even one second. Even while eating, I was still reading like my life depended on it. I loved every single moment.
💌 3. Most Romantic Book (Pure Heart-Eyes)
Title: The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston
This book had me giggling and kicking my feet like I’m in a Disney movie. I was clutching my seat while reading… and the swoon level? UNREAL.
🥹 4. Most Emotional Romance (Cried / Heart Ache)
Title: Caught up by Liz Tomforde
YES, I know I’m repeating the same book in the first four questions… BUT it’s my tag and I do what I want, okay? 😌💅
And I know it’s not your typical “cry your eyes out” kind of book, it’s a romance, so most people probably won’t relate to me on this one. But for me? I read it at the exact moment I needed it the most… and it MADE ME SOB. Like, real tears. Ugly crying. No dignity. 😭
🌶️ 5. Spiciest Romance You Read
Title: Wrath of an exile by Monty Jay
It was the spiciest book I’ve read this year… and honestly? Probably the darkest too. If you want a real enemies-to-lovers, I’m begging you… read it.
BUT, before you do, please gently check the trigger warnings because it’s a dark romance for a reason 😌🖤
🐉 3) Best Romantasy Reads of 2025
✨ 6. Best Romantasy of the Year
Title: Metal Slinger by Rachel Schneider
This book too… I honestly don’t think I even need to say much because my review already says it all. But let’s just say my jaw is STILL on the floor to this day. Like… it has not recovered.
And it was my first (and only) 5-star read of the year… at least until I caught up in June ⭐️😮💨
🗡️ 7. Best Fantasy World / Vibes
Title: Enchantra by Kaylie Smith
Okay, let’s be honest: it’s not the strongest world-building ever… but the VIBES ✨.
And I’m a sucker for a dark, gothic world, so yeah, it absolutely delivered for me.
🐲 8. Best Magical Creature / Dragon / Beast Moment
Title: A harvest of hearts by Andrea Eames
Honestly, this book wasn’t really my thing… but the talking cat? Iconic.
Best character in the entire book and the only reason it was even remotely bearable.
⚔️ 9. Best Action + Romance Balance
Title: Blood & Steel by Helen Scheuerer
The balance in the first book of this series was so good, I genuinely enjoyed it so much.
But unfortunately… I soft DNF’d the second book 💀
I might come back to it this year (she says, confidently, like she doesn’t have 300 other books waiting). But honestly? I don’t think I’m ever finishing the whole series.
That being said, take my opinion with a grain of salt because most people LOVE this series, and the first book was actually really good. So maybe I’m the problem. Maybe it’s me. 😌✨
🦹 10. Most unforgettable villain?
Title: Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
I know I’m late to the party, but the Darkling… oh my OH MY 😮💨🖤
I’m still in disbelief that he’s not the MMC in the second book, and honestly? That’s exactly why I’ve been putting it off 💀
👩❤️👨 4) Characters, Couples & Chemistry
💘 11. Best Couple of 2025
Book: Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry
I genuinely do not care what people say about this book. If there’s one defender of it left on this earth, it will be ME. I’ll be on the front lines. I’ll fight. I’ll die on this hill. 😌🫡
And I love Alice and Hayden dearly. Like, don’t even talk to me. Their characters blend together so beautifully, the chemistry, the energy, the way they just work?? Chef’s kiss. Perfection.
🫠 12. Best Chemistry (The TENSION!!)
Book: Book Lovers by Emily Henry
Another Emily Henry book… and another couple written by her that I ended up obsessed with? Are we even shocked? lol I don’t think so.
But the tension between Charlie and Nora was FIRREEEEE 🔥😮💨
I was on the edge of my seat the entire book… literally right up until the last chapter.
🥰 13. Best MMC / Book Boyfriend Award
Book: Caught up by Liz Tomforde
This is the third time I’m mentioning Caught Up… and YES I know, I’m not even pretending to be normal about it anymore 😭🤍. I’m obsessed with this book like it personally changed my DNA.
And Daddy Kai… AHHHHHH 😩🔥 I need him in a way that is not appropriate for public discussion. I could scream from here to Pluto, write essays, start a fan club, and still not recover. He’s literally so my type it’s embarrassing.
Anyway. Moving on. (Lies.)
👑 14. Best FMC (Main Character Energy)
Book: Beg, Borrow, or Steal by Sarah Adams
Emily Walker is literally me. I’ve never felt so personally attacked by a book like I did with this one. It was like Sarah was casually describing my entire personality and calling me out page after page 😭.
And is it embarrassing to choose my best FMC as someone who’s basically… me? Maybe.
BUT honestly, I loved her personal growth so much, and I really wish I could be like her by the end of the book.
🎀 5) Tropes I Ate Up This Year
✅ 15. Favorite Trope You Read in 2025
Trope: Forbidden Romance
Best book that did it: Nocticadia by Keri Lake
Oh my god, this book was WILD. It genuinely grossed me out so much 💀
It was my first time reading something in this genre, but the romance??? Immaculate.
Like why was it THAT good??
💍 16. Best Marriage of Convenience
Book: Wild Side by Elsie Silver
Honestly, marriage of convenience is my favorite trope, but this year? It really betrayed me 💀💍
Most of the books I read with it just weren’t giving what they were supposed to give.
This one was the best out of the bunch, though. It was good… just not memorable memorable, you know?
😤❤️ 17. Best Enemies to Lovers
Book: Hot for Slayer by Ali Hazelwood
I was going back and forth between Wrath of an Exile and Hot for Slayer, but Hot for Slayer SNATCHED the crown for this one 👑😮💨
The relationship… the dynamic… the tension between Ethel and Lazlo???
They had me FERAL. Like I can’t even explain it properly. I can’t. I literally can’t 😭🔥
🌞🌚 18. Best Grumpy x Sunshine
Book: Love Arranged by Lauren Asher
I really loved the dynamic between Lily and Lorenzo, they balanced each other out perfectly, and I ate that up 😭💖
🌟 6) Unexpected Wins & Cute Moments
🫶 19. Most Underrated / Surprise Favorite
Title: An Overdue Match by Sarah Monzon
I seriously need more people to read this book. IT WAS THAT GOOD! I loved every second of it, the characters, the dynamics… everything.
And the topics the book addressed were handled so well too. It was genuinely really well done.
😍 20. Best Comfort Read / Cozy Romance
Title: The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston
Oh wow… me repeating another book on this list?? I’m shocked. Truly. Groundbreaking. Never been done before. LOL 😌💅
But honestly, this one was just so cozy, like the perfect autumn read. The vibes were immaculate 🍂✨ and it had that warm, comforting feeling that makes you want to light a candle and pretend your life is put together.
If you haven’t read it yet, please put it on your fall TBR immediately, you won’t regret it. 📚💛
🧠 21. A Book That Got You Out of a Slump
Title: The quit list by Katie Bailey
was suffering from a reading slump for most of the year… and honestly, I’m still kind of in it even now 😭.
But I read this book early on in my slump era, and somehow I actually managed to finish it pretty quickly, which is impressive for me, considering I’m a slow reader and I was slumping hard.
The vibes were honestly really good, and it was also my first time reading a book where the characters are into hiking, which was surprisingly fun and refreshing. 🥾✨📖
💫 7) Fun “Personal” Blog Questions
🧕 22. What book felt like you in story form?
Book: Beg, Borrow, or Steal by Sarah Adams
Honestly, I feel like this book called me out too many times to count lol. I felt so connected to Emily’s character, I could genuinely see myself in her.
And if you’re an only daughter in a family full of men or the eldest daughter… yeah. This book is for you. 📚✨
🏆 23. Your top 5 reads of the year (ranked!)
→ 1) Caught Up – Liz Tomforde (*Everyone please act shocked.*😮💨)
→ 2) Metal Slinger – Rachel Schneider
→ 3) The Seven Year Slip – Ashley Poston
→ 4) Great Big Beautiful Life – Emily Henry
→ 5) Beg, Borrow, or Steal – Sarah Adams
📚 24. What book would you recommend to everyone in 2025?
Book: An Overdue Match by Sarah Monzon / The Bodyguard by Katherine Center
I really enjoyed these books! Honestly, I need more people to read An Overdue Match. I’m so thankful to NetGalley for the ARC of that book, because otherwise I genuinely would’ve never heard about it.
As for The Bodyguard, I feel like everyone knows Katherine Center, but that specific book doesn’t get talked about nearly enough. I’ve only read two books by her so far, and this is my reminder to myself that I really need to read more of her work.
🍾 25. A book that gave you the biggest book hangover?
Book: Metal Slinger by Rachel Schneider
Honestly, the ending of this book lives rent-free in my head. It was basically my first 5-star read of last year, and ever since then, fantasy books have felt a bit dull to me… which I clearly need to fix this year 😭 BUT yeah, Metal Slinger is that book for me.
🖍️ 26. What book made you want to annotate every page?
Book: King of Envy by Ana Huang
Honestly, this book is far from being one of my favorite reads of the year, definitely not in my top 10. BUT it was the most annotated book I read last year.
Ana Huang just knows how to write. Her writing gives you that uncontrollable urge to annotate, tab, and underline every single page.
🎧 8) Formats & Reading Life
27. Did you read more physical books, ebooks, or audiobooks?
I’ve loved the touch and feel of books since I was young, so physical books will always be my format of choice.
28. Favorite reading spot this year?
I’m a sofa girlie through and through. I love my couch, a little blanket, and either tea or hot chocolate. Honestly, if I read in bed, I will 100% fall asleep, no exceptions 😴📚
29. A reading habit you want to keep in 2026?
Between you and me… I don’t want to carry a single reading habit from 2025
into this year. It really wasn’t my year as a reader 😭. Here’s hoping this year treats me (and my reading life) a little better.
30. A book you read in one sitting?
I’m a slow reader, so you’ll never catch me finishing an entire book in one sitting. BUT let me tell you… I can finish any Ali Hazelwood book in three sittings. Every time. No exceptions. 😌✨
🔮 9) Looking Ahead to 2026
📌 31. A Romance Author You Want to Read More Of
I don’t have just one author, I have two: Ashley Poston and Liz Tomforde.
I really want to read all their books this year… fingers crossed 🤞💖
🐉 32. A Romantasy Series You Want to Start / Continue
Series: Shadow and bone series by Leigh Bardugo
I really want to finish this series this year and finally read Six of Crows. I really hope so 🤞
🎯 33. Your 2026 Reading Goal
I really hope to reach my reading goal this year, which is 48 books (and between us… I’m already struggling). I’m still crawling out of the worst reading slump from last year, I’m already two books behind, but listen, I will NOT pressure myself. Growth. Maturity. Allegedly.
I also want to finally face my TBR, which is currently sitting at almost 40 books (a personal attack), and hopefully make real progress on the book series I’ve been “in the middle of” for… an embarrassing amount of time.
Ambitious? Yes. Delusional? Also yes. But we move. 😌📚✨
And that’s my end-of-year reading wrap-up, a little late, a little chaotic, but very honest 😌📚
If 2025 taught me anything, it’s that reading slumps happen, goals are flexible, and repeating the same book five times in one tag is apparently part of my personality now.
Here’s hoping this year is kinder to my reading life… and my TBR. (Spoiler: it won’t be.)
If you read any of these books, please let me know, I need someone to scream about them with.
See you in my next book obsession. 🫶
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